May Day: NLC calls for end to judiciary crisis in Rivers

Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Rivers State has called on the Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to, as a matter of urgency, end the state judiciary crisis, which has lasted for almost two years now.
Newly-elected Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Beatrice Itubo, made the appeal during the Workers Day celebration, at the Isaac Boro Park, in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital.
Comrade Itubo, who also tasked the state government to address issues of workers salary, training and retraining of staff, adequate recruitment of manpower, among others, said the call became imperative as the political crisis in the state has negatively affected both staff and litigants of the judiciary in the state.
She said this year’s theme for the May Day celebration, “The Working Class, Democratic Consolidation and Economic Revival, became imperative, considering the various challenges encountered over the years by the workforce, which according to her, has affected the socio-economic spheres of Nigeria.
On the plight of civil servants in the state, the NLC chairman, identified hiring of consultants and lack of training and retraining of staff as a major challenge. She called on the state government to look into unresolved issues in the Radio, Television and Theatre sub-sector. She also used the occasion to condemn the xenophobic attack on Nigerians in South Africa and called on the Nigeria government to review her bilateral relationship with South Africa.
On his part, state Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Chike Onuegbu, frowned at the inability of the federal government to reform the oil and gas sector through the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB while calling on the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari to keep to his electioneering promises when voted into office.
He also called on the state government to look into issues affecting the workers, and to include the Performing Musician Employers Association of Nigeria, PMAN, in the Rivers State Tourism Development Board, considering their contributions in the entertainment industry.
They are also worried about the recent loss of over 10,000 jobs due to massive divestment in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry and the fall of crude oil price. Also, the problems associated with operational and security challenges, lack of strong political will for the enforcement of the Nigerian Local Content Law, inadequate supply of crude oil and inability to disburse the agreed quantum sum of money for the upgrade and rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refinery.
Responding, the Rivers State governor, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, blamed the inability of government to meet most of its obligations promptly on dwindling revenue.
Amaechi, who was represented by the Head of Service, Barr Samuel Long-John, thanked the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, for their support during his eight years in office.
He, however, promised to pass on the demands of the workers to the governor, while assuring that the government was putting machinery in place to pay salaries from next week, adding that, “We are all concerned about your problems, which I am part of.”